Daniel minthobn



UNITED STATES PATE T Erica.

DANIEL MINTHORN, OF W'ATERTOVVN, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOB TO M. N. MINTHORN, OF SAME PLACE.

TREATING VEGETABLE FIBER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER-PULP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,972, dated November 11, 1884.

Application filed April 17, 1884.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL MINTHORN, of IVatertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Method of Treating Vegetable Fiber for the Manufacture of Paper-Pulp, &c., of which the following-is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the method of treating vegetable fiber for the manufacture of paper-pulp, for bleaching textile materials or fabrics, and for other uses, and has for its object to disintegrate or break up the cementing matter whereby the fibers are held together, especially when such cementing matter is of a mucilaginous or resinous character.

My invention consists to that end, principally, in treating the vegetable fiber with a solvent containing carbonic acid, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In practicing my invention I generate sulphurous acid by burning pyrites or sulphur in a suitable reverberatory furnace, and I gencrate carbonic acid by burning coal or some other carbonaceous fuel in asuitable furnace, or by burning lime in a suitable kiln, or in any other suitable manner. The gases are drawn from both generators by a suitable suction-fan or pump, and are jointly used in treating the wet paper-stock or other material. The discharge-pipe of the carbonic-acid generator is preferably connected with the gas-space of the furnace in which the sulphurous-acid gas is generated, so that the carbonicacid gas passes from the generator into the gas-space of the furnace, where it commingles with the sulphurous-acid gas, and whence both gases pass together to the tank or receptacle in which the solvent is prepared, or in which the dry gases are stored. The conduit through which the carbonic-acid gas passes into the furnace is provided with a valve or damper, whereby the volume of carbonic-acid gas admitted to the furnace is regulated and the desired relative proportion of the gases maintained. These gases may be passed through a tank containing milk of lime, in which they combine (No specimens.)

with the limc,forming a solution which is used as a solvent; or, if preferred, the gases may be passed directly into the tank or receptacle in which the wet vegetable fiber or paperstock is contained. The two gases combine and form a hydrated bisulphite of carbon, which acts as a powerful solvent of all resinous or mncilaginous substances, and which also bleaches the fiber much more effectually than sulphurous acid alone. This solvent may be used in the ordinary digesters under the conditions of heat, pressure, and motion usually employed in digesting vegetable fiber for manufacturing paper-pulp and for similar purposes.

In treating material in a dry way for the purpose of bleaching either vegetable fiber, textile fabrics, or paper after it has been calendered, I place the stock or goods in a close chamber filled with sulphurous acid and carbonic acid,which, on account of their specific gravity, soon displace the atmospheric air. In this atmosphere of gases the bleaching takes place at ordinary temperature. This process is quickened by'the usual conditions of heat,

pressure, and motion applied to the material in the chamber.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein described method of preparing vegetable fiber for the manufacture of paper-pulp and other uses, which consists in treatingnthe fiber with a solvent containing carbonic acid, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described method of preparing vegetable fiber for the manufacture of paper-pulp and other uses, which consists in treating the fiber with a solvent containing carbonic and sulphurous acids, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein-described method of treating vegetable fiber, which consists in subjecting the same to the action of carbonic acid and sulphurous acid, substantially as set forth.

\Vitncss my hand this 11th day of April, 1884:.

DANIEL MINTHORN.

\Vitn esses:

SAMUEL FELT, J12, G. BoR'r. 

